Marc Albrighton | "I Still Can't Believe What I've Experienced" | Leicester's The Place: Episode 10

hello and welcome to Lester's the place um in this episode my usual compad Mr Gerald tager has left me and I'm with the man who lives in a flat instead uh Lester Legend youan Roberts and more importantly I've got another legend of the football club someone who needs no introduction really he's won the Premier League he's won the FA Cup he's won all sorts of Awards in his time at Leicester a Trojan a gladiator I would say of the Leicester city folklore Mr Mark albrighton thank you for coming along this afternoon Mark good to see you mate good to see you um you and over to you you can come out with a first question today set things rolling I mean you've Marx listed the Honors that you've W in your 10 years at the football club it's been an unbelievable 10 years for you I mean doesn't happen too often these days where a player sort of stays at a club for that length of time Mark what would it mean sort of being involved and helping get the club back in the Premier League in the first time of Vin yeah I think that's um that's obviously the priority for for the club I think for myself as well when I joined the club had just uh just gain promotion to the Premier League so I think it's about leaving leaving the club in in a position where um I think the that they've not gone backwards which I I don't think it it would be seen like that anyway uh with the Honors that with we have we have achieved but um I think to be playing back in the Premier League next season would be uh and to leave this club in that position would be the the main objective I mean it happened to me sort of later on in my career I was 36 37 when I first signed for for for for Norge I said I want to try and get the club back in the Premier League it took me seven years or it took us seven years and then the gave me a free transfer can you believe that yeah so got there got to the Premier League and that was my last ever involvement with a football club so thanks but yeah but I mean we um obviously we're here this morning it was a special night last night at the king power um four games to go Southampton the visitors probably the best performance of the Season maybe last night I think it was yeah I think it's been a long time coming as well we've we've obviously start uh first half of the season was obviously so so good and um probably not normal in in certain aspects like there's not many teams that um that come come down and and start like that and I think we always um we always looked at this season and thought right the start needs to be the start is crucial to our season with with everything that happened back end the last year it was always going to be the start that that was that that was the main main thing this year and we managed to managed to do that yeah we've we've probably prob come um come through the season and we we we've got into a little bit of a lull at times and um so I think that last night uh it was more like what we were seeing at the start of the season and it felt it felt good to to be watching that um that that sort of football again and that sort of confidence that the lads were playing with I mean you did coms didn't you yeah last night yeah know it it was a great watch you know pleasure to to witness it really and just came at the right time as well didn't it did yeah I think as well like it's it's a lot about the mental side of it at the minute as well like we're watching leads the night before and yeah it's crazy in it yeah like 43 and you thinking can can they Nick it at the end Bora but uh the same as they would have been watching our game last night and um probably probably feeling very deflated after it yeah too right yeah too right yeah we'll come back to like your own story and uh how it sort of started in the Villa days obviously primarily your Leicester City time but while we're on that subject there you know he talking about starting the season well and moresa coming in and all his you know his batroom staff but a total change in not total change but a big change in philosophy and how to work and how did you think he manag to get that good start that you talked about which was imperative but far easier said than done um I think everybody just bought into it straight away um yeah like it was total change it was um it was night and day to what we we've we've been used to yeah a few the boys have said that before g into massive detail but no it's it's the way he did things on the training pitch like every single drill was um had the aspect of how we wanted to play it weren't like you just go into a possession and a keep War square and there's it's just a normal keep War square like you're doing it with like the how the players build up at the back and then how you go through the L do little sections then then piece it all together yeah and every single drill was like that so you do sort of probably four drills a session and every single one of them that you go to was was that was the main focus um so I think like I say the lads bought into that straight away and it was just repetitive it was just every day twice a day sometimes where it was just um yeah just living this this um philosophy that he wanted to play and so many meetings um loads of meetings that intense yeah yeah so intense and like we'd be reviewing training we'd be having meetings before training him letting us know what what is after uh in training so um we've even done meetings outside there was one day where a TV got took outside and we gathered around the TV outside so it's uh um that that's the way works that's the the way he he he wants to make it clear to to to the lads that how he wants to play and he did that from day one so I think that's that's how we got the good start yeah it gave that impression from the outside everyone's M's mentioned himself everyone's got to buy into it haven't they you know to because results might not have gone do you think do you think that the fact that he came from Man City serial winners he'd worked with Pep Guardiola one if not the best head coach in the world that that helped the lads sort of bu into what he was trying to do possibly yeah because um like you say Pep Guardiola is um probably the best coach best coach there is um so the fact that he's worked with him worked alongside him had success um alongside him um but then for a lot of the Season he hasn't really mentioned he hasn't really referred to um to like to Guardiola or to Man City he's um he's his own man yeah I think and I think he's tried to put that across that that's how he does refers to Brighton quite a lot um and and derer at Brighton but so I think yeah I think the lads obviously knew where he was coming from and knew um the the the way that the man city did things so I think yeah automatically they they definitely we definitely sort of looked at that and thought okay well that's proved to be successful there um we we're more than willing to have a go at this yeah on the flip side of that and you touched on it there about the dip in form we've things been as good as they were and you know everything seemed in place and everyone's on a rooll again without revealing too much or going too deep on it but is there any way you can sort of explain how a team that can be so good for the majority of the season and then we saw Southampton last night what the boys are capable of and then to have that sort of tough period I know it's pressure and what have you but you you didn't really see that coming did you was there any sort of reason or I think there's I put down just a stage in the season a few aspects obviously we started so well and we set them them standards and them levels whereas you look at someone like Southampton that they didn't start well at all but then they go on uh I think it was like a 25 they didn't lose yeah so I think everybody just has spells during the season as was a bit later on in the season Southampton was at the start I think even Leeds lost a few games at the start um as players I mean even from my own experience but like you're sort scratching your head as to it like why it's a long season M season that as Mark said I think it switched sort of of November December time they win one in nine the leads lost three games in December every club's goes through a a blip in a 46 Game season it's how short you yeah and I think the massive thing for Leicester four home wins on the spin now yeah places once again a foress after those back-to-back defeats against was it buron leads or bur it bur Le lost at home and then yeah this run now was got the club back to where it where it has been for for for the majority of the Season yeah I think with um with the defeats I think we was very keen to uh like I I look back at the um 2016 season and the defeats that we had we bounced back straight away straight away fa you only had three didn't you had three yeah we did but we bounced back from them straight away we didn't lose two on the bounds like we just we won the next game and then we'd go on a a run where we'd win a few games one nil and I think that's crucial I think once you lose two and then all of a sudden you might draw a game and people are looking at it going they've not wonning three and this and that's where the Talk starts are have they bottled it have they do you listen to that man do you listen to the I think it's hard not to I don't go out of my way to to listen to it but I think it's hard not to um because you do see it like we're we're all football people so like we've all got the apps on our phones we like we watch football on TV like you got Sky Sports News on or whatever it is in in uh in the training ground so I think you see these things automatically um I'd never go out my way to to sort of go and read the papers or uh read articles but it's it's hard to get away from this this day and age does that make sorry on that note I was how did the boys just going off t a little bit um deal with that the social media side because you probably experienced that transition a bit haven't you when you first started out it was was an issue was it no no I think I'm right in saying so you get a bit of criticism every now was an issue for us was it definitely was an issue for us yeah it's good that cameras weren't about for sure that's but um but heck in from support used to get all that but some of it can be pretty vitriolic and personal and quite substantial as well on social media different characters some ignore it some are they taught out it yeah not not really taught I think advis yeah I think the lads nowaday especially the young Lads they embra like they just Embrace social media they just fully embrace it and um that's like their their platform that's their whereas I think when I was coming through it was just probably starting to um to arise like the social media but it was like Twitter was was probably the biggest you didn't have Instagram and and stuff like that it was it was more Twitter and it weren't as um people use it to to publicize themselves now and um build a platform for themselves whereas back then it was very much a a place where people could just ham yeah ham whereas I think nowaday you can I don't know turn comments off and yeah changing land so I think yeah so I think it's more lads Lads are embracing that that side boys are quite resilient as well aren't they generally I think you've got to be in this sport now yeah yeah because it's not just social media like you've got pundits that yeah that will will come for you as well if uh just coming through the changing rooms as well isn't it you you get your first sh of stick don't you have to stick up for yourself even that's that's timed down quite a lot now that's yeah that's that's nowhere near where it was um bit more cultured these days anything used to go didn't it anything used to go in that day and and also on top just like any attention's good attention isn't it good or bad yeah yeah yeah that's it no that's that's all calmed down a little bit now it has well we'll come back to all your achievements and your time at Leicester which obviously the main focus but um most people are aware that you're an Aston Villa fan have been all you life not converted yet uh no not not converted not converted no no um fair play to you stick to your roots but you joined got the chance to join Aston Villa eight years old is that right yeah eight years old um went on a six week trial there and um and managed to managed to sign for for that year so um yeah I remember getting picked up from school and me mom said just you need your boots and your your pads but you wouldn't tell me where we was going and we ended up going body Moore e and and had a training session with like with the young young team there so the Villa were your team at that V were my team yeah I I used to go stand at the gates half term and and get all the autographs and stuff with with with me Mom and Dad so um to to be driving there with me boots and and my gear ready to train was um yeah it was everything believable stuff yeah 8 years old even well I was going to say back in the day but not that long ago but yeah this uh like people saying that about the academies is it you know six years old upwards but it it wasn't so different even back then was it no I think 8 years old was was more or less a standard like you say I think six years old now kids are kids are going into academies and I think I think they're a lot different now the academies like um speaking to people that uh that have got their kids in at a young age and it's there's lots of analysis on on players at that age now whereas before it was just turn up TR turn up play whereas there's a lot there's a lot more goes into it now and um you're learning a lot more from a younger age in depth I mean you can see well the results ofmy now I mean the training ground that we're sat in now yes unbelievable facilities again transition from that Bea driver was decent enough wouldn't yeah yeah yeah this is on another level Mark am I thinking you could have you went to West Brom for the trial uh yeah kind of baggies don't Adit that does he no I think what it was I got me and another lad from my my local team got invited to to a training session how old were you then uh I'd have been seven then seven then were yeah yeah I'd have been seven this was probably two weeks before I went in at Villa for my trial um so yeah got invited over to to West brm and all I remember about it is going there and it was like a big astur pitch and about a thousand kids on it and I remember coming away thinking I never enjoyed it like just didn't enjoy it one bit um and then I think so I think it was a bit half and half I think they sort of says um not to bother coming back and I weren't too bothered about that either like I was I was fairly happy about that but you still wanted to sort of pursue your football and career sort of thing yeah well I think at that time as well you like locally I was playing with me mates like I was playing with me mates from school um so we'd be going in like and chatting chatting about like our games at the weekend and stuff so I was enjoying like I was like loving football at that time so then to go there and and not enjoy football like is that's not what I wanted all I wanted to do was enjoy playing football so I weren't bothered about that I because I could go back to my my mates and play and how proud of day was it for yourself and and your M and Dad when you signed that first contract for Villa yeah I don't really remember it too well I've got to admit um I remember the period but I don't actually remember uh actually signing the contract um but yeah you you go in and I remember getting all the kit like you you get your your kit bag fully like your smile on your face your tracks I remember the color of it as well it didn't SM that much when it went the Premier League you get like your tracks you get your training gear you get all this and then the I think they had a a deal with Umbro at the time uh for for boots so you get like a couple of pairs of boots and I just remember taking that kit home and I probably wore it at home like just as much as I wore it when I was when I was going training so I remember yeah I remember that period and and just meet like just the the friends I met then and and people that I met when I was 8 years old I still speak to now um and they're still still friends like one of the one of the lads that that I played with then at 8 years old his mom and dad was at the game last night with my mom and dad so like you build relationships and um and that that that time of of my life and career was it was just so special and from that period when you sort of was as any other Lads that that played with you at the time gone gone on to become professional footballers I think the the standout one would be Daniel sturd um he was he was in that team um so I think he he stayed with us until maybe about 14 uh then went to centry and then went to Man City and then went on to to do what he did so he would be he would be the standout one as the a few more years pass we like we had other players that have have then gone on to to do to to to make good careers like people like Barry Bannon Kieran Clark Nathan Baker the these James Collins um I think he's at Derby now and they've all made Cent forward yeah Center forward they've all made like good careers in the game and I think that's a credit to credit to the academy and the coaches and and the staff that were there at the time it's steady progression like through your Aston Villa days would it and worked your way through youth team academy youth team and then into the first team squad what what s AG 18 19 think yeah I probably started training with them about 17 18 yeah um who who was the manager then uh Martin O'Neil that was Martin then even when you first started training yeah yeah so uh I think he he obviously liked me but I think Robo yeah I was going to ask you about that yeah he loved me um and there was I remember playing a youth Team game once and I think I've gone through and had a shot's either been saved or missed and Robo was actually in The Dugout at the time like with Tony mcandrew the the youth team manager and they've ended up having an argument because Tony's like obviously tone was he was brutal like he was he was so so hard on you and he's he's come out and started giving meit giving me a bit about like not passing or or whatever it is and I remember Robo just stood up and like had a bit of a row with him about it leave him alone like he's he's go yeah yeah so he had my back and I think um he was he was great for me he was so good with me it'd always take me to the side and and have conversations with me he was he was did he join in training Robo Robo didn't because in my time at Le on my time yeah he used to join in best player on the pitch yeah I know and he must have been was it 20 years older than the rest of us at least on a Friday you know Fridays like they quite feed the bear easy days they little F side and we sort of do the warm up then all of a sudden at Beaver Drive Rob old come out he'd have the big fox leure coat on he'd have his suit TR is tucked into his socks pair of boots and as you said he still be he'd have a [ __ ] in his mouth going to say he was in the smoking shelter at body W and he still be the best player officially retired by the time he was at Villa yeah yeah but some player some player I mean obviously we all enough to remember him in that great forest team Martin o always says and Martin played with some top players best players ever played with yeah best players ever played with no he was class he was it's funny you say he takes certain players under the wing Steve guppy was similar yeah yeah CU gups could cross similar to you similar style of course you know you got that bit of drift yeah he had that with his left foot as well he got he got GS in L Martin got guppy in to to do a bit of coaching with a Winger so I did like quite a few sessions with him he he' sort of um be teaching you how to sort of just get half a yard rather than going and beat in a mat but he wasn't the quickest you know wasn't lightning so supposed to that being detrimental the pace is not your strong is it no so yeah I I think to have to have people like that um at the club at the time was was brilliant because obviously had that in the in the first team but then still have a sort of Reserve team coaches Kevin McDonald Tony mcandrew as well that they were still sort of grounding me and making sure if I'm not with a first team then I'm putting the work in yeah with the youth the youth team was it frustrating you didn't get as many opportunities as you um did you hope for or was it think were you willing to buy your time sort of thing I was willing to buy my time um and I think the it was more more the last season that I was there that that I was I was frustrated there um for but for like the first sort of couple of years when I was breaking into the first team I was just happy to be there yeah I've got ad I was just some big players there as well was in the um Europa League I UA cup at the time time as well so my debut was uh in Moscow played in in Moscow um debut was yeah yeah my debut was at CSK moscar strange run isn't it yeah um but we was weep yeah I think we'd already been beat two n at the home l so I think he sort of resign to that because we was um was up the top of the league as well was I think we was fifth maybe at the time so I think he wanted to concentrate on that so he put a few of the young Lads in for that but um played that one and I had to wait like quite a while until my my next Taste of first te football which was I was just itching to get to get games and I think we had a couple of injuries so he wouldn't let me out un loan but like at the time I was thinking I want to play I want to play but looking back now to to have been training with with with them first team players day in day out it was um that's exactly what you think part of home your patience is down to like the fact you're such an avid Villa fan as well like you want to just want to hang in there you want to make the most of it as well yeah well I hadn't even like at that point there was not one like I didn't see anything else outside of villa like I I wouldn't have ever considered leaving Villa like obviously on loan to to get games but to actually go and sign somewhere else I would never have have considered that like it was um I just presumed I'd be at Villa for the rest of tell you even if it's like 15 games a season for Villa or 40 for another club yeah yeah be yeah absolutely so um yeah like I just loved it there and and to be fair the the group there was was brilliant at the time like even people like James Milner was was was there and I looked up to him like like I watched him how he played and stuff he was quite a similar player to me at the time and um to learn from people like him and his professionalism and and the way he went about his like his career was still going he still going is he now yeah yeah yeah gets a game going back to his debut I mean because we obviously we've both played in Dem Martin and he had that sort of regime where you wouldn't find out until an hour before kickoff is it true that when you found out you got your mobile phone out of your pocket you went into the toilet to text your mom and dad that you were making a debut yeah so yeah that that's that's all true um so I've I've gone to the yeah I've got my phone I've gone to the toilet 10 Tex I've texted them but it weren't on TV so they used to not far from where they live there's uh there was one one like bar that showed like any game like dodgy stick nameing it don't remember the name I know changed names a few times now um but yeah there was one bar that was showing it so um but for like the Villa games that was rammed anyway like that was always busy especially like the away games the um and the European games so my mom and dad went went there and like my sister and and all my mates and that went down there so they're they're in this bar and all of a sudden like they've got a massive sports bar full of villa fans and and I'm on the screen and and playing and it was it was incred like yeah just an unbelievable night unbelievable night how did you get on we lost 2 now sorry for asking that way in Moscow that's not a bad result yeah yeah yeah but a good time good times and it Martin Still Still applied his same tactics then was it a late shout on the on the team yeah yeah there was a couple of rumors CU he had left a few Lads at home left a few of the senior players at home so there was a couple of like Whispers but I still didn't think I still didn't think I'd be starting I thought yeah I'd be on the bench might get on like if if I'm lucky but never thought I'd be starting I think he started me Barry Bannon and Nathan dalonso that day he wasn't scared to put youngsters in Martin was he no he weren't no we had quite a young Squad anyway like even the I say the senior players like people like Ashley Young Gabby they weren't they weren't old at the time anyway they was they were still fairly young um and yeah he did he did give the young players a chance um which I thought was was good of him considering where we were and what we were challenging for yeah and last thing on Martin did he used to do young the old on a Friday Friday yeah 10 minutes one to 10 minutes to 10 minutes all in that was still going as well was it yeah it was incredible and then the the yellow Jersey jersey with all sorts written on it but it started getting a a bit uh bit political right okay it was one man that was just getting it every time it was just yeah just for the laugh that used to happen with us as well but certain Richard Creswell used to get it every week yeah roko it was real you matter how we played it was just his facial features shall we say the Reas you don't want that yellow PB for you you don't want that yellow don't want it to Shake it Off yeah but that was training was like we talk about training now like the difference was remember you you get in for 10:00 you'd be out on the grass for half 10 it was three 10 minute games maybe a little Friday keep ball Square before but this this was this was every day yeah this was this was every day we was training um and you was in your car boy probably 12 half 12 um it's just changed so much time similar similar with us but work to a level that's for sure was hardly any tactical work like he didn't really do too much tactical probably one session a week top do on a Thursday probably thday you go through your shape you probably you probably do 15 minutes on it and then the rest of the session would just be little games CU let's be honest it's dead boring it Shadow really wasn't it then set pieces on on a Friday morning yeah yeah yeah but even that was pretty basic cuz we just Cent off just edit away or editing like that was that was pretty much how it was I hear an avid watch of is it houses under the hammer big fan of big Dion when he played for Villa yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah I don't I don't watch too much of him now on on that but yeah when when he was at Villa I was that was sort of my era when I was sort of going and watching and it Wason carbon davidi jinella um players like you can't put Dion Dublin ol in the somehow worked yeah it somehow worked I remember being at the game where he I think he fractured his neck who I think we scored he he might have actually scored and uh they've they've kicked off whoever was playing they've kicked off and he's gone a Sprint to close someone down got blocked and like his just necks just gone I remember being at that game and that's yeah something I remember about it I've I've been likey I've sort of since I've retired I've played a few charity matches with him yeah I've played against him on a few occasions I remember one game at filber Street when we were in the Premier League and it was on on the Monday night we drew 22 and big Deon scored um you don't realize how good a player is until you actually played with him I we we'd have been sort of late 30s early 40s oh my what a player by the way yeah DEC first touch on his chest and he was playing Center half back then Cru honestly ping a ball with both feet a top top player top player good play with me at Leicester for a little while yeah towards the end of his career was it back end of his career Yeah leester Boy a he he is leester boy he is leester boy a good career didn't he had a really good anyway enough about Dion talk about Mark um it's a good time so you became more of a regular in the Villa team and I suppose a little bit like like whereas Morgan your career could be sort of cut into two hours can't it yeah yeah you know you seemed like you've been at Villa forever in a day and somehow you've managed to play 11 years at Leicester as well what happened I ask you a question now what happened on the you were playing for Villa on the 21st of December 2011 do you know I do know yeah um because I'd promis my shirt or someone because it was his birthday that day and I have to say I can't you're not next year um yeah 20,000 Premier League goal um which I was unaware of at the time like going into the game knew nothing about it um I think we was one nil down against Arsenal uh and I got put through oneon-one and and scored in front of the alt end and uh to make it 1-1 and then we ended up losing the game I remember coming off the the pitch and somebody says you've scored the 20,000 Premier League goal and you take the [ __ ] off to give to yeah no um but he's gone You've Won 20 grand at the time I was thinking I've won 20 grand and uh' gone yeah but he's got to go to a Cho so I was like 20 gr richer for about five seconds um yeah no we we were sponsored by acorns at the time and and Villa got a big connection with acorn's children's uh Hospice in in Birmingham so automatically the money just went there and did a big presentation to to get it there and I know it went a long way so it was yeah incredible achievement and and one I'm I'm definitely proud of obviously lucky that that I've scored that goal in in that I think Suarez it might have been that scored a goal either side of mine right so yeah Lucky in that sense but um yeah it's it's nice to bet look I didn't know it was a thing like 10,000 1,000 whatever or yeah somebody said I think was it Brian Dean scored got the first first yeah and then there was somebody said about the 10,000 can't remember who scored it but yeah automatically a thing take any claim yeah you do you do absolutely absolutely 20 grand would have been even better yeah not to be so so how did the Leicester move come around then um yeah well there was a lot of a lot of different chat at the time um about me saying I wanted to leave and um that wasn't the case at all I think you went to Wigan on alone went to wig on so that last season that I was there i' had a few injuries and um I was in and out of the team Paul Lambert was the manager I was mainly out the team um but I was coming back from from an injury and he sent me to wig and un loan so I went there for a month loved it like Villa obviously was quite a big uh what's yeah obviously it's a big Club but it's there's a lot of people there there's a lot of people behind the scenes there's a lot of Staff there's a lot of people in the offices physio uh Mass like strength and conditioning there's just so many people there I went to Wigan and there was none of that it was totally different small training ground it was it was one of them um where the Kitman used to be the bus driver the bus driver used to be the chef bit like this so and I remember there was there was a lady there that that worked there she was like the lia on office and she was she was great but it was just so small and such a a family Club um and I loved look I had a had a month there Owen Coy was a manager and I loved it um did well they were going well back then weren't they yeah yeah yeah was we chasing the playoffs I think they ended up getting getting the playoffs and and losing in the the semi-final of the playoffs That season but um so I was looking to extend it beyond that that month but I got called back so I thought if I'm going to go back and and play then then great so that's what happened went back and we played man united uh that that weekend and I was starting and I did like did well in that game and for the rest of that season then that second half of the Season felt like I did really well I was getting some good good reviews as well for a while yeah and I was coming up to the end of my contract there so I was thinking I've got a good chance for a contract here so um like I went in a couple of times and and send the manager and just says like what's the contract situation and he was like yeah like keep doing what you're doing you're doing brilliant um that'll look after itself like you be You' be fine on that front so did you have an agent at the time yeah like I did have an agent and he had been in and got the same response that that I was getting um so yeah as a season went on and then got to got to the end of the season and um I think two days after the season finished I just got a call off my agent just saying there's there's nothing there for you there's there's no contract there won't be there won't be renewing it and um it'll you'll come out in sort of the released um the the release list that is scandalous is it that is scandalous I mean again back in our day that used to happen quite regularly in the lower leagues you didn't know literally to the end of the season but yeah what level and at that stage yeah at the don't get me wrong like now I I look back and I think like is what it is at the time I was devastated I was I don't believe it because there no signs to read through the season really you I suppose there was earlier on in the season and at the start of the season I probably thought if I don't have a good season here this could be it because it's like obviously this part but the second half of the Season I'd done really well I was probably like probably the best player for for Villa that in that that period some feedback ordinarily yeah yeah like I said I was I kept getting I kept getting uh all Paul Lambert was saying was you're doing brilliant like you're doing fantastic like that will look after itself and stuff so um how you get on within uh next question next question um yeah to so little did I know that my agent had actually been working in the background cuz he obviously read the signs maybe he had seen these things happen before so he had he had been doing a bit of work in the background so when that happened he was all right that's the bad news the good news is there's four or five clubs that um that are in for you did it make you feel any better or not really no oh no um so they were Leicester I think um West br uh Hall City uh Sunderland can't remember the the last one but I think West Brom didn't have a manager at the time um Hall City I just didn't didn't fancy didn't fancy that um so it was actually yeah it was actually between Leicester and uh Sunderland so uh I'd spoke to Gus po at Sunderland and um the way the way that he spoke I was like oh my God I obviously watched him play and I thought this go po like um yeah white and uh like the the the offers were there the money was better at Sunderland and I just thought like what do I do are and I I basically chose leester because I looked I looked at the squad for one and I looked at the squad and I thought there's a lot of players that uh I looked at people like drink water and Matty James and uh Andy King and I thought relationship wise like I think I it looks like I'd fit in better at that club than the people that were at Sunderland at the time was the geography as well and then the main aspect was geography location um so that's why I decided to choose Leicester in the end obviously two years later Leicester Inn the league Sunderland get relegated then get relegated again so it all could have been so so football so yeah it's these little sliding door so sort of Sunderland been similar distance toester you might have signed their sort of thing possibly yeah yeah yeah um so obviously looking back now I wouldn't have wouldn't have changed it it's fair to say you got the decision 100% right I think a lot of it as well um yeah obviously geography like just family like I I'd spoke to uh Craig Gardner who was I was with at Villa and he uh I think he went there from Birmingham city signed a three or four year deal there and I spoke to him about it and he says listen mate it's miles away like it's so far away um he said it's it's a good club like uh training grounds beautiful Stadium fans and that but it's just so far away yeah and I think like I'm quite a like I'm quite a family person and and quite homebird as well so it's um cuz can you imagine trick and it isolate your M and Dad have Villa's on the doorstep yeah all of a sudden they've got to to come watch you play they've got to go all the way up to the Northeast and they've got to come down the m6 m69 to watch you play for exactly leester so I mean yeah 100% the the the right decision it was in the end yeah yeah absolutely yeah it's interesting you mentioned though about looking at not just the players but the type of players as well that are at the club you think I'm I could see me yelling in with them you became quite close with those boys that you mentioned drink water James King yeah really close um I think over the years I've had some uh there's been some really good dressing rooms here yeah seems that way just different groups I think we had a spell just after we uh we won the league where it not that we had any any bad eggs but there was a lot of different groups uh Dynamic different players coming in yeah there's not I think probably two or three people that I would say were have been bad eggs since I've I've been here obviously won't name names but um since I've been here probably two or three which in 10 years is very very good um so I think the that was probably the worst it got but that weren't bad at all like like I said it was just clicky you had like the the English ladge you had like the French ladge you had um there was what else was there there was like the we had like younger Lads as well sort of coming through so they weren't sort of mixing with the older players so it was um it was a little bit clicky and and we had that but some of the dressing rooms and some of the lads that that we've lot of met along the way and relationships I've built with with some of the players is yeah yeah majority play I think it's the same Through the Ages isn't it majority Lads good as go aren't they I mean we we've been similar in I was only at Leicester for two and a half two and a half Seasons but those that dressing room in that in those two and a half years was the best dressing rooms I've ever set for and I think you're similar you had a tight knit group didn't you yeah like team of All Sorts but we s came together play hard socialized yeah that that was that was part mainly down to Martin to be fair in that instance but Nigel Pearson he had big influence on the as well yeah he was yeah um and when I saw signed it was um Steve Walsh in the recruitment um and I remember speaking to him before I signed and he says we always do our background on signings not just as players but as people and like yeah and seeing what their personality is like and see if it' fit into that dressing room and I just think they got it spot on for so many years um but even now like I speak to players that have have left Leicester whether that be through their choice or or just like it's been time to move on and EV every single person will say like where they're at now is nothing like Leicester yeah it's nothing like Le weird isn't it a similar experience myself I'd say the same most of the yeah teams from my my era are of that thought as well but I mean it's that I don't know some part of that is because it was the most successful time they had as a an individual albe it was only you know finishing sort of top 10 premier league and the odd League Cup success but I mean on your level obviously winning the Premier League would you include boys Lads that didn't even win the Premier League though with that as well you know since like still still now um still now Lads that are have just left or on loan or whatever just always say just that feel about yeah there's a feel about about Leicester and the just sort of the group and and how close close knit everyone is that's good obviously like with the game last night you can see how close every every body is and um it's to to be coming in every day and and training with these boys is it makes it so much easier I think you can see that more evidently the latter stages of the season when wins have been achieved way L to play sometimes it's quite um structured shall we say isn't it you know it's not sort of about early Bly sort of passion and up and at them is it but then there's a release at the end when a goal is scored and I think supports connect with that they realize that it just seems totally totally different now to what it did like obviously the the aspects of it being the good group and stuff are exactly the same but we was actually speaking last night about that 2016 the uh the way we started games we just get it like hit a long ball into the corner and everyone just like Sprint to that and like the intensity that we started with um was was incredible we just put teams on the back foot straight away whereas now it's a case of like the ball comes back and we we keep the keep the ball for probably 20 passes and that sort of kills the opposition off a little bit straight away so um there's I don't think there's there's a right and wrong way there's obviously so many ways to to do things but it's just so different so different yeah that that's where just reiterating that point how how well you start the season is even more com commendable really you know that's such a start transition isn't it yeah I think I remember playing when we played Burton um earlier on in the season in the cup yeah and we kicked off and we just killed the crowd straight away killed the crowd like within the space of a minute that was changed up team as well wasn't it from what people would consider the first choice or whatever yeah played them off the park there just straight away like that you could you could sense that the crowd had gone and that even their players just knew right we can't get near these um that that was such a good feeling nice feeling such a good feeling does too often I'm not thinking you signed halfway through the Great Escape season is that right uh no no start yeah okay didn't feature until the last yeah so um didn't feature for for most Parts had like couple of maybe sub appearances but yeah that was it and then how did that feel us you know with you excited for a new club it's start quite bizarre isn't it yeah and to not be involved that much I didn't realize that until I looked through I I just got M around the fact that I was leaving Villa and I was starting something new but I looked at it and I thought okay like let that up and come in um from from the the league below and premier league and it was a big Feelgood Factor about the place at the time didn't move not to play no no I thought this I I'll be like I'll be part of this team and I'll I'll be a big part of this team like I back to myself to to do that and I just felt like I just never got the opportunity throughout That season I never got never got the opportunity I felt like I was training really well um I was working hard I was I was doing everything right but just never never got a look in um until yeah nine games before the end of the season I mean mat knows I love my stats and numbers and all that right so I look back at that season at the halfway point you had 13 points in the second half of the season 28 points you start in the last nine games which you started 22 points so maybe you should you should have started a bit more yeah I don't want to take all the credit for that um but you will Li who's playing in front of you uh there was Riad knock was Jeff schl was was there as well um but then we switched to a back five went with wing backs and I sort of slighted in at that right wing back roll and I really like it was probably the first time I've ever ever played that role and just like yeah loved it there you didn't play that pill no no no was always always on the wing no no so yeah loved it like boming on and I think once we got one win then two wins and then it was just momentum then what can you sort of pinpoint one game that you thought that was the turning point because I think you were botom at Christmas I don't ever a team had ever sort of survived in the Premier League when they were bottom at Christmas I think Leicester was the first team to do that was there a game I mean cuz 13 points halfway through the season you must have been thinking yeah I think it might have been might have been West Ham at home maybe and we won to one I think um I think I came on at halim of that game for like somebody got injured and that's when I sort of started playing a little bit but that's I felt like the once we got that win the whole place the whole mood just changed because I think up until then like the LA the previous sort of three months or or whatever it was everybody just sort of we was resigned to Our Fate like everyone was writing us off and and we was done and I think even even the lads thought this is really is going to be so hard to get out of but then I just felt something different on that day like once we got that win and there was there was a little bit of a a mood change and and then we went to went to West Bram beat them 3-2 and and then it just like I say snowbo and and just played with confidence and you scored on the last day of the Season didn't you yeah we was already yeah it was already safe that was that was a free it as well yeah QPR were down we were we were staying up and I think it was five or six that we be yeah five um yeah managed to get myself a goal and it was uh it was an end to to mainly frustrating season I mean I I've spoken to you before about about pressure and to compare the pressure of being in that position when you're fighting for your lives or the next season when you're going for the premier league title You're Going Hammer and tongs with with Spurs compare the pressure between the two sort of thing is is there a a worse pressure pressure um I'd say the worst pressure would be the the relegation the relegation I think with the the title pressure I think it's [Music] more teams like City or um they're meant to be their sort of thing I feel like if you're at City you know you're going to get another chance to do it like not that you'd try any less but you're going to get another chance whereas a lot of what we've achieved here whether that be the FA Cup whether be the leag you just think like this is most possibly like our only chance that we're going to be able to do this like we're never going to be have this opportunity ever again so if we let this slip like it's we we'll never we'll never be known as that Premier League winner or that FA Cup winner like you'll never have that medal so I think that's the pressure that that I found um during that season whereas the relegation one was more of a it was more of a career thing for me like I was thinking okay well I've played in the Premier League so far like for for all my career if I drop down can I then spiral down you see so many like players that just spiral because I've never I've always found myself I want to say lucky to to be where I am but there's a big element of of luck to where I am like I I wasn't like you look at people like Riad mahrez who's got amazing ability like and some of these players have got amazing ability whereas I feel like I've had to work that extra bit harder to stay where where I've been that's not a bad thing though no it's not it's not and I think but I've always had in the back of my mind that it can just go like that and and you can just snowball it takes so long to get up to the top but you could just snowball down within within a couple of years so I always that's the pressure that I found in the relegation side of it where okay well if I go down to the championship then I don't play in the championship then what is it then League one and where where do I go from there like all of a sudden I'm thinking I could be 20 26 28 and not be in the game and that that was sort of my motivation a little bit I imagine that was the case for quite a few of the players as well wouldn't it like collectively getting promoted the year before and then chance to perform on the big stage in the Premier League you don't want it to well you don't want to sample it just for one season do you no no and also on top of that from memory most of the games like you're only losing by the OD goal wasn't it we weren't getting trounced no and I think that's a lot of what was um what was being said that season like even though everyone at Christmas everyone thought was down we actually weren't playing that bad and we weren't like you say we weren't getting trouts we was it was it was one nil 2 N maybe the odd draw in there but um I think we might have even nicked some at Liverpool That season um but yeah so I think on the season as a whole we probably deserved to stay up we obviously did it did it the L way more entertaining yeah yeah but I think um yeah we deserve to stay up that year nid was quite adamant about the the team's performances he was like this one we weren't as bad as you people seem to sort of suggest and uh ultimately who's proved WR Al though it took do you think that was vital that tinkering that change the back three uh I think so probably suited us a little bit better I think a ma a massive thing obviously you you said about the points there um massive thing was houie came in in January Rob Huth came in and he was he was so big for us like he was um he obviously had the the Premier League experience but it was just No Nonsense it just if if any doubt it's like yeah Def and obviously next to as well it just worked like it it worked I think uh vasileski played as well that in that period and like them three at the bat just yeah it was it was what we needed at the time just to secure things up a little bit well thankfully it all it all came came through didn't it because the next season which is obviously you know the main event of a lot of people's care is but certainly yours as well and talking about how um adaptable teams can be like with moresa in the modern era the players have changed to that but out of the blue Nigel leaves yeah and you're thinking that must have been a big blow was it at the time initially I think it was just the shock more than anything the shock of it happening I think there was obviously I like I've got a good relationship ship with with Nigel now like was with him the other day a lot of players don't they but even the the players that were there before me like I say about kingi drinky J vs like these players were so close to so close to him and and even a lot of the staff like just respected him so much so when he leaves then it's it's a massive shot to the club yeah um so which makes what you achieved even more yeah remarkable S I think like where when he did go it was almost as if right okay well what happens now then because the whole the whole club has been built on the things that he wants um and now all of a sudden we've got up and and where do we go from here what what happens next so there was just a little bit of light uncertainty around around around the yeah well that's why the odds were or part of the reason 5,000 to one yeah yeah you know nailed on to get relegated really in most people's eyes with that extra factor of Nigel departing but it came together and I always looked at it jump in the gun a little bit but when rier coming in and when you did win the league I he I don't know if you'd agree interesting to hear your point of view but the fact that he didn't changed too much was a decisive Factor especially when he's known as the Tinker man yeah I think that's that's where he deserves so much so much credit because he could have come in and he could have gone right no we're doing it this way this way this way but he looked at it looked at the squad that he had looked at the players and he kept yeah he kept it more or less the same he probably give us three or four patterns of of play a week that was it we every week we practice them in training but other than that it was just he used to call it the castle to be like right everybody back in the castle as soon as we lose the ball that castle and it was just this compact shape where we just were so hard to play through and then once we got it that's when vs went had went and and that's where the passes sort of opened up um so I think yeah from that point of view him not yeah yeah it was it was a stroke of Genius to keep it the same but one little tweak was that you were playing left hand side more often how did you adapt to that I've done that a few times with for at Villa so that weren't something that I was unfamiliar with um but I think all over the pitch was there was just different relationships like obviously there was Wes and houthi and then Wes and Simo that had like a a relationship that side then there was Simo and Riyad that had the relationship yeah relationship that side drinky and goo in the middle um me Christian on on that side and um it just these these relationships just worked all over the pitch like when someone went the other one filled in for him and it was just a connection that we just built up and it just we made it it good quick um so that was that was huge in my opinion and then obviously to to do anything you need you your standout players which obviously FS Riad and and and goo were that for were that for us that se season so um as much as it was and everyone talks about the team and that Collective effort like you we wouldn't have done it without yeah he need that sprinkling but everybody they couldn't have done it without yeah yeah absolutely yeah yeah it's it's a balance isn't it I mean looking at that season that starting 11 hardly changed because you took part in every single game didn't you that's something that you personally should be really proud of yeah yeah it was it was very much a solid a solid 11 and even the subs that were coming on with the same like Leo would come on for Shinji after an hour um kingi would come on and uh so even the subs were were pretty much the same uh and I've been on both sides of that where I've been out the team when the team is staying the same and it's frustrating but then I've like that season I was I was in the team and it weren't changing so um I know how difficult it is when you just can't see s getting in there but that's why I think I've just got so much respect for for cladio in in terms of that because he was probably the first well he was definitely the first manager that actually went right now like every week like you're in you're in you're in even if I had a bad game or couple of Bad Games it'd keep me in and then i' I'd repay him by by by doing well and um I remember the first time I met him and um the first training session I remember him like saying to me that he's he's got faith in me and um and that's one one thing he said to me then and he also said it on on the last the last day that he was there so things like that stick in my head um and I yeah owe so much to to cloudia I mean because we spoke about earlier you lost three games that season Arsenal beat you twice don't think you lost a game after you lost to Liverpool on boxing day yeah I mean when did it s of suddenly sort of sinking lad we've got proper chance here um I think I know what you're going to say a few the boys say people talk about that man city game don't they they do um but I I don't know I look back I don't know I don't know the dates but we played Arsenal lost to Arsenal away um was one nil up conceded um Simo got sent off bit dubious um conceded later on and then they score like with the last kick of the game and that was just before I'm sure that was March time because we had an international break and um or fa C I can't remember but um I remember him saying right you've we just played Liverpool at home and Man City away and he says if you get seven points out of Liverpool City and Arsenal we'll give you a week off after cuz we didn't have a there's no better car is there and you know as a football L like you have all the money in the world a day off is is more more important than anything so um yeah so if you get seven points you get weak off so we've gone into that Arsenal game we've got six points so we're thinking Point does it like this let's sit back say good point but um no but we've gone out there we was we was brilliant it was brilliant that day and obviously the sending off um like sort of killed us a little bit like I say it was a dubious sending off but we've we've gone back in there and he's recognized how well we we had worked and stuff and and still give us that week off so straight away like everyone's over the moon let to fly to Dubai and this that the other but it was just go away because people were starting to talk then as well about us and he was like go away get away from it relax switch off and then come back ready I think we come back and I think we won it might have been five out of the next six one nil and I look at that and I just think it was just stroker just go like have the week like just going with your families come back ready to go and that's how he his man management was so good in in that aspect like he just Lads just would would go that extra yard for him because he'd do things like that and that's that sticks out in my mind the Man City one is obviously that was that was incredible like we got I think we got standing evation from the whole we had um which was which was amazing but I I look at that and that sticks out for me it's interesting isn't it that you know even in the modern era everyone's on about the Tactical side of things and but man management and things like that still a big part of it in a coach's role yeah I think it's a major part of it I do um I think it's it's underestimated um and even if it's not not the manager I think that there should always be someone there like a coach that's close to the manager but that can can relay to the to the players and and be close to the players yeah I think uh shaky got that got that spot on yeah Craig Shakespeare was was the master at that um because players yeah obviously all players are different but players want to be loved like they want they want to see like the that um they're important um and supposedly yeah the assistant can do that more than manager got yeah yeah I think it's crucial and he he did make you feel like clao made you feel like on top of the world he made you feel 10 foot tall at times um don't get me wrong he had another side to him as well where if we weren't doing it right he he'd let you know about it but um yeah his man management was was superb what I thought I'd be interested to see if you agree as well it was how he played everything down all season didn't he for 40 points or 42 points what he was saying and you know his little quirky says Etc that sort of took the pressure off a bit itself but then from the outside it felt to me that with about I don't know was it five six games to go because everyone was going on about Tottenham Tottenham chasing you down Etc I always I'm not saying it hindsight I always felt really confident that you boys would do it just you felt looked like you was in the zone and you know it was your time but he he as if he sort of flicked the switch a little bit and said okay right I can't keep pretending we on about re you know avoiding relegation because we've done that and he's like going it boys go for it not playing it down going oh you know we're in the hunt possibly a champions league position when you're sitting at the top of the league or whatever but he seemed as if he went you know enough of this twaddle yeah going to finish the job off did you feel like that I do yeah I think as it got closer we were very much right okay this this is on now like we we can't we can't let this passes by um and I think it was just like we we were dead relaxed even though that was like we we was going for we was dead relaxed if you see pictures of us in the tunnel or like warming up before a game or in the dressing room everyone's just so relaxed and like the chat here would be yeah playing Champions League next year like enjoy that yeah we're going to be playing at Wembley in the community shield and like we'd be thinking about this and then the preseason schedule had been released and we got Barcelona in in preseason next year it was all these little things that we was just let not intimidating or daunting no we was just like we couldn't believe it it was just exciting like then was was like our next season like if we win it we play with gold badges on our on our arms it was little things like this that we was uh yeah we couldn't believe and then obviously when we did get to the Milestones of right okay we've got Champions League football next year like incredible then it was right let's sort of finish in the top two and we just kept going and um yeah obviously the games that we was watching it it's totally different like we watched I remember watching Tottenham against Stoke and they just like I think it was like 40 or something and they just rolled him over so we knew we couldn't rely on other teams like and then obviously we did in the end um but we knew we had to do our job and we played West Ham at home and we felt like things went against us um in terms of like a sending off or a penalty or whatever and then um so then I think it was it vs that was banned um for oh that was the end of the world wasn't it yeah yeah Jamie V is yeah yeah so then everything the fans are getting the Panic yeah so it was um yeah I just think we was just so relaxed and I think he was a big part of that like he he was a big part of rer was a big part of uh making us feel that way yeah it's amazing story Amazing Story even more ridiculous now when you look back you realize you know what we remember Blackman winning the league yeah but they spent a lot of money to win the league with s ja Walker um what was that last game at at the king power L was it Everton last game yeah it was a bit surreal really because it it it felt like a just a carnival or a party it the actual game of football was going to get in the way like it was um bit of a hindrance yeah yeah and but then at the same time you don't want to go and lose that game even though it makes no difference you don't want to go and lose that game because you want to you want everything to Fin and then obviously I think kingi scored which was like fitting it was it was throwing it down with rain as well if I remember rightly but um yeah everything was just fitting and and that day like was was incredible obviously with um with the songs before the game and and just that that atmosphere around around the king power outside the king power beforeand and like my uh all my family were there and they've sent me videos of like them walking up to the ground and you hear the horns and uh everything like this and I remember driving to training and I obviously I live sort of Birmingham Way and there's obviously Villa Birmingham West Brom wolves so there's loads of clubs in that area whereas in Leicester it's Leicester like everybody's Leicester and you'd be driving down D just driving through the like through the streets and you'd see Flags out the windows like the um shops with leester flags in the windows and um then there was I think there was signs on the uh uh the lamp posts as well so we was driving past and there'd be signs of each different player on each like lamp post leading up to it um it was just that whole experience was was something that I I can't even to this day believe that I've I've experienced I mean I should I should have asked that question after the one I'm going to ask you now because whose house did you go and watch the Chelsea Spurs game uh so I watched it at home like I I had all my family around at home and watched it um like a few of my friends and and we had a bit of Ado there there was I think there was about 10 Lads went to vs his house um so yeah so I watched it at home and then as soon as the final whistle went I thought right I'm out I'm joining them so I got me mom to drop me at uh V's house but was she took you around did she she took me there me mom and dad drove me there but there was there was so many people at his house like outside the gates that so I phoned him and uh uh he was like when you get here he was like go to uh the local police station so I I've gone what so he's gone go to the local police station so um found out where it was I've my mom and dad had dropped me there I've walked in Ben cherwell stood in the police station with his dad he's obviously done exactly the same thing we've then had to get a police escort from the police station into vs his Gates of his house watch it there and then uh so we've uh but by the time I got there everyone had sort of hit a bit of a a law like there was obviously the the Ecstasy of when the final whistle went and stuff but then everyone's like got a million messages on the phon just sitting there like that um but then uh there was a few of us and was like right what we doing now so we um we found out that somewhere was open in Leicester and uh we got um Casper's the Casper driver took us into Leicester but we was all right can we go past the King Power Stadium cuz we was obviously seeing all the pictures of the fans outside so we've managed to drive past the King Power Stadium and and see all them scenes and then we've ended up in Leicester couldn't tell you where we were I've got no idea of the place but should have given them a beb hanging out the window they Lov it was like we was in this sort of section upstairs in this uh club and it had like a glass window overlooking the dance floor and it was like a a nightclub but everyone was Leicester there was Flags there were scarfs and then they spotted us and all the Leicester songs were getting sung and it was that night was was incredible and then we had like training the next day which W weren't hard you have to go in the next day did you we did yeah because um Kish and K were were arriving so they wanted to come and congratulate us and so we went and it was um we didn't really do anything in training and then they took us to uh a restaurant in in Leicester and we had a a meal ever and yeah I I was carless in Leicester I I didn't know how I was getting home I didn't know when the party was going to stop or anything so um I I can remember sitting on the curb outside the marott hotel um waiting for me mom to pick me up a couple of days later so uh just things like that just stick in my head like I was just so yeah mad yeah enjoy it times to be cherished is they amazing amazing I say look back now it's even even more ridiculous than it was then yeah really achievement but uh yeah from what we just told us and little bits I've heard everyone made the most of the uh celebrations yeah well it just kept kept on going it was like obviously we won it and then um once the season finished then we had like the open top bus tour then we went to that was a good day down Micky Parker as well yeah it was a great day and then we then went to Thailand we had an open top bus tour in Thailand and uh like the different parties in Thailand so it was uh if yeah just that whole period of of that year was is just it's a blur not in terms of like drinking blur but in terms of like just Whirlwind swind yeah you just I can't believe I've experienced that that of course winning the Premier League brought you Champions League football yeah which you obviously embraced and enjoyed yeah that again was like it was a surreal feeling we'd obviously played these played Barcelona PSG and Celtic in in pre-season and um got the taste for playing against big big clubs like that and going into the Champions League I remember going into the first game and it was very much like we didn't know where our level was it's you you guys probably remember it from from your days in terms of when you start the new season you don't know where you are compared to like after pre season you don't know where you're going to compare in terms takes a few games doesn't it takes a seven to 10 games so we went into that game not knowing the differen in level yeah um so when we've obviously got off to the start we did and built on it it was we was like right we're we're here like we this we've set our marker down there we we can have a good go in this competition and you've just brushed over that first game scored the first goal for the club in in the Champions League as well yeah uh again another moment that's a blur like I look back at the picture of me celebrating on mouth wide open and just like I can't I can't remember like putting the ball in the back of the net or anything I just it's just everything just takes over you um but it was yeah it was incredible just walking in at half time and and Chile says you've just scored in the Champions League and I was like Jesus I couldn't believe it just wanted the game to end then when you saw the group Porto who W it with Mourinho few years before uh Club brood Copenhagen you must have sort of fancied your chances to sort of finish in that top two or was it a bit of a Unown s because it was so unknown I think there was a little bit of us that were a little bit gutted that we didn't have a Barcelona or Real Madrid or I was G to ask you that there was a there was little bit of disappointment in there but I think as the competition went on and we realized okay we've got off to a good start there we could actually go further in this competition so then obviously then getting getting severe in the um I think it was the the last six was it and then um then Athletico we still got to play these big big clubs obviously not your Barcelona Real Madrid's but these are like athle Athletico and and S still like huge clubs so we got to we got to exper experience all of it like we got to do really well in the competition in terms of qualifying as as as group leaders and um but then go and play in these knockout games against massive massive European teams because I look at Newcastle this year I think they had PSG AC Milan and one of the massive European Club Dortmund Dortmund and I think they finished bottom didn't they and and didn't qualify for theough yeah it's really tough so it's where what do you do you want to go to these big stadiums top teams or do you want a slightly easier group maybe go a bit further and a bit deeper in the competition and then get as you say get to play at Seville get to play at Atletico Madrid yeah yeah because I think the the kns the the Champions League nights that we had at at the king power and but even when we played Atletico that was their last year at at that ground that that old ground got all lot the history there so to to have been able to do that was was amazing as well but yeah just uh the the nights the then European nights were were incredible so to have more like after the group stages and even better like that The Knockout stages was even better so to experience all of that was so you just said like the goal you scored against Bru is a bit of a blur you can't really remember too much about it what about the winner against sevia which me you went through to the quarterfinals um probably means more to me um my my mom and dad like they they followed my career like since I was like a kid and they' they've took me all over the country they've come to all the games they've come this but they never came to Brugge um my mom was I've got work this that the other and uh my dad was my dad was devastated I think there was that house was a bit hostile for for a couple of weeks um especially after I'd scored but so then to be able to to score in the Champions League in front of them against at home as well at home against Seva it was um it actually felt even better so that's obviously my celebration and you see me running over to that section of the the stand where where they were so that that probably felt even sweeter especially after you had the disappointment in the away game penalty given against you wasn't it yes which was outside the box that was that was after that was that was the Athletico game i s know that was Athletico wasn't it yeah yeah yeah exactly yeah that that was harsh wasn't it I was yeah I don't know I've seen it back so many times and there's no chances in the box but these these things happen I've I've probably could have could have stayed on my feet but felt that the powers were against misjudged his uh misjudged his Pace no but you're going up against those teams but at the same time got remind yourself the level of competition you're going up against in the domestic League hav't you yeah yeah so you know the likes of bruis Copenhagen scare the life out of you no but it's some of these teams yeah it doesn't scare the life out you and we always like at that time of of uh that period of of where we was playing it was we were so confident like we could take on anyone yeah so um but then you see like some of these the the foreign teams of from Belgium or holl or wherever it may be and they're always it's not the same as English football it's it's a lot different so yeah you you've got to play against it a lot different as well and also in mind there's that image about just the fact they're a European team isn't it and as a kid growing up you know European football men different like Porto like they've got a massive history in Europe a sudden they've become a better team than they actually are in your head exactly yeah yeah and you don't actually speak for myself I don't know about the other Lads but you don't actually see how they're getting on in their their domestic leagues you Sabio and people so it's uh yeah it was good fun though it it was great are you swapping of shirts Mark um yeah sometimes yeah never did it in did you not kept them yeah yeah yeah never SWA one shirt in in the Champions League I've done it a few times in uh in the Premier League I've got a few good ones in there but um yeah no Champions League never never swap one so I've got I've got them in a a box at own all of mine yeah yeah cuz especially on the the European relative success quarterfinal Champions League in the first effort um again unbelievable stuff but like you mentioned about that the duration the length of that like high that role that you were on winning the league and the celebrations that went through the summer even into preseason a little bit it was a bit of euphoria wasn't it cuz you yeah in the I can't remember what what was it called that that preseason competition Champions Cup was it Champions Cup was it you playing Barcelona Trav America and everything it was inevitable to a degree that there was going to be a little bit of a lull at some stage you know um how difficult was it to sort of rester yourselves that next season uh it was yeah like I can't sit here and lie and say that that we weren't still like on this on a high from that we w't still thinking about that and talking about that where do you go from there yeah and I think everywhere we went like the trophy come with us and like there's no way you can get sick of seeing that Premier League trophy but everywhere we went there'd be this big black case that's coming with us with the Premier League trophy and there was just constant reminders of it and um I I I look back and I think the other yeah obviously it's different the way we did it but I don't see like I don't see that man city would would be doing that now I feel like right okay we've done that like like when they won the treble like we okay that's done we'll celebrate it but then we go again next season yeah um and I just felt with with us because and it's probably it's it's probably normal like because we we never expected to to win it hard to retain it's so hard in yeah yeah so hard and obviously the way we played as well like you teams become um familiar with with with that and and find ways of playing against you so you you've got to try and mix it up and we probably struggled with it with that as well that's probably why things went as well as they did you know with the Champions League it was something new A new challenge isn't it something extra which was I don't know a bonus as a result of the of winning the Premier League but I wouldn't say it seems like you focused on on the champions league but yeah there was that extra spark about your play in those games wasn't I look back and I think as soon as we got knocked out of the Champions League I felt that was like the end of a bit of an era like I felt like something had just stopped um even though you had the same sort of squad and yeah yeah yeah and it just I just get that feeling everything just ended that was like the the end of of that period and then all of a sudden like where'd you go from there then because with experience probably the best period of like we will we will in our careers we'll never experience that per again yeah the clubs Club history sort of thing so it was a case of like okay well where do we go from here so I think then it was very much a transitional period uh for the next probably couple of years um like what happens then like new Squad new like new manager or or or whatever it was and things had to just be just gradually like slot into place I think I think the club cop with that quite comfortably to be honest we because when you look at Brendan Rogers iser the two top five finishes taking the season into the last game of the season um missing out on Champions League football again narrowly was it eighth as well in his third season yeah um so still really successful times for the football club and of course 20 21 you get to embley and win the club's first ever FA Cup trophy yeah I think like just going back to what you said there about the club coping like and I think even at the time obviously when um when cladio left and there was a lot made of that I don't think there could have been a better person to put in charge than than shaky at the time like he he just stabilized everything like he stabilized everything that uh that that was going wrong and there was no massive change sort of thing no no no massive change he just sort of like I said I think like every everyone just got a little bit um everyone just when I say about that end like the end of an era I felt like everyone just got a little bit uh not complacent that's probably the wrong word but we we we stopped doing the things that we were doing before go really flat sort of thing yeah everybody was flat and I think he he lifted all that he come in and just lifted it and made sure that we was on it constantly so I think that putting him in charge for that period was was was very good for for what the club needed because where did did Madrid get to the final that year I think they did yeah I think they lost in the final they did didn't they so you know you lost to a team that went yeah yeah exactly okay within 90 minutes of of winning the Champion League sort of thing and we gave them a good game in the T as well but yeah look then yeah going on to sort of Brendan's era um he I think what he did in his his time was was superb I remember him coming in uh for the first time and he had he had a massive uh presence about him like he had an aura um like from minute one the way he spoke um in his first his first meeting I remember thinking this this guy is is the real deal and um and he didn't disappoint like I learned so much under him both like like professionally and personally as well like he was I felt like he was a really good uh people person as well and and he spoke you on a on a real personal level and I think that um I learned quite a lot of him in in in his time here and obviously we we had success under him as well which I'm glad we did because it would have been a shame for for him to have that period and and do so well and not not have that that success to show for it not get a trophy sort of yeah yeah yeah because was challenging for Champions League we finished Fifth twice and yeah that that's an incredible achievement but I just feel like if you if you're not winning a trophy it's it counts for nothing cuz I remember this when he when he was Swansea manager he went out of his way to know everybody's first name whether you were the the the tea lady or the the kit man he the groundsman he knew everybody by the he just he comes across as if he's got a really good manner about him yeah and I think yeah he's he's very much like that like he if you see like your your family at games or what he'll take the time out like he um you'd always have time for your kids and and stuff so things like that and he he did a few bits for us in during that season where he he'd get uh get in touch with your family and and get a message from them like that that he could give to you to try and sort of give you a little boost yeah yeah bit of a mo motivational thing and remember like going in his office on many occasions and just seeing how his office was set out and seeing like his Organization for everything is is just his organization is the the best I've seen from anyone like in terms of how he did things like whether that be how training uh when like how you transition from one set one drill to another drill like all of that the organization was was incredible but then seeing his office and how he's got things set out in there and it was it was just yeah it blew me away top level coach isn't he you know brenon and it's quite strange really that people on the outside are quite quick to drop a little bit of criticism in in there but overall hugely successful period is I mean those two fifth finishes frustrating as they were just missed out on champions league and sitting extremely pretty for a large part of the season but uh two second best finishes ever for the club isn't it in the club's history so yeah yeah exactly and and I think that on your CV yeah yeah the FA Cup went on top as well and you got a decent amount of minutes in that game as well somewhat unex expectedly uh well yeah you say unexpectedly I had a feeling Johnny was going to come off to be fair uh that that sort of went he was toiling a little bit wasn't he yeah well he uh I remember speaking to him beforehand and um Brendan called me in his office the day before and he was like look Johnny's struggling but he he said that he wants to give it a go and he wants to play um which means you'll be on the bench so I had to accept that like I like it's hard to take but I weren't going to say anything back like we had FA Cup Final the next day or two days later so I remember Johnny saying just be ready just be ready so I think Johnny knew Johnny knew as well but is his ankle um no might been his foot yeah foot wise I don't know it's a bit obscure wouldn't it yeah yeah so um yeah obviously like I had a I made sure I was ready like going into it after his appearance money or what I think he just wanted the experience of playing in an FA Cup final but then he was like kind enough to give me the experience of playing the FA Cup Final so in the end it worked out like we had a good a good chat after the game about it and like how it worked out well for for the both of us yeah like he got the walk on with the handshakes and the the national ampam stuff I got to be on the pitch at the end when when go up the stairs get your medal did that work from memory though Johnny coming off obviously Center half yourself so Tim Casta pushed inside to to the center half position and I I went right wing back yeah w got his face on in on the action as well didn't he yeah late on unexpectedly as well that that for Wes is incredible that was his obviously his last game for for the club and in his career so to win an FA Cup Final in your last game it was mighty close wasn't it but yeah yeah yeah what a day that was I was looking enough to be there was well back into the covid wasn't it yeah yeah and somehow even though the crowd was only I think it was it about 26,000 something like that but it made it almost more special because you could see the individual's faces like the shock and not so much the shock but the the joy and the Elation on those faces not just the mass of fans it was like individuals yeah yeah leester again have achieved something unachievable yeah on the wake up which never done in their history no and again like obviously with the the V decision at the end and I just like them moment I was just thinking okay I might be wrong here but in my opinion we would never have gone on and won that if that had counted big moment a it would have been so hard to pick ourselves up um in going into extra time and to go on and win it but I just remember thinking when that went in that's that's that's gone now like we that chance has gone of winning an FA Cup and um so obviously the joy then when the it gets overturned and then the final whistle goes was um again like just something takes over your mind and you just can't quite believe you don't know what to do like you where did you go to you go to First celebrate with players like you collapse on the floor or did you go to the fans or what happens and uh um just for that the rest of that day then like was or even the next sort of half an hour on the pitch celebrating with the fans and seeing your family getting the trophy and um incredible you remember didn't have to work for the FA Cup Final no no no no managed to get to that one no they managed to get to that one they made sure um yeah had a few friends there like family and stuff the kids didn't go but um it was yeah special and a special goal as well it such a special goal and we talk about the goal and the goal's the goal's fantastic and he'll never never hit a sweeter strike and um it it was fitting for for an FA Cup final but the saves from Casper at the end the two saves from I think it was both from Mason Mount maybe were were just as good and and that's like two of the best saves I've seen and to do it on that stage and at that time was I say that that's won US the cup as well yeah typically Leicester wasn't it know um sort of collective Spirit but proved successful at the end but as it been sort of the theme throughout the years really at Leicester city has sort of been associated with that with a bit of quality as well but which sort of I don't know reflects your career as well doesn't it a little bit yeah I think it does yeah I think like the the year we we won the league and it was basically a team of rejects that have been let go from from different clubs and uh knew that like just honest honest players that were willing to like work hard for for everything yeah and and that's what we did and I think that that contributed to a lot of points that season and and I do think it has we've got the same the same sort of dressing room now in terms of like well I've said it earlier about the dressing rooms I've been in since I've been here and I do always think we've had that honest core of of that that are willing to to to fight for everything and to really put the work in character is a huge part of it isn't it and you've certainly showed that in in buckets I in your uh throughout your career so you so you've won the Premier League you won the FA Cup you played in Champions League have you got tattoos of all those we're hearing those um perhaps another tattoo to add to the collection I'm not so sure I'm not so sure that we say that just now can you I can't say it just now um you've got reminders of the of the yeah well I've got a few tattoos anyway I've got like tattoos from my kids yeah yeah kids as well my family and then I bet a few of the boys have got those hav't they the Premier League and I'm not sure to be honest I'm not sure cuz none of them rare anymore are they there's only me and vs here so I don't I thought maybe they got them at the time no no no I've only recently got mine so um yeah I think I don't think I'll be having having the rest of them on there get I might get some other bits some additions but I don't think I'll be get anymore anymore the rest of them that suggest is still another few chapters in the we see yeah yeah yeah there might there might possibly be I don't know it's been a pleasure mate appreciate thank you very much thank you thank you very much